Scouting the Cats: Patrick Towles named UK's starting QB

After he lost not one, but two different quarterback competitions at Kentucky, it would've been understandable if Patrick Towles decided he was done. But Towles didn't follow that instinct. Instead, the Mr. Football from Highlands opted to dig in and do more.

Patrick Towles during special teams drills during UK fan day at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Ky., Saturday, August 4, 2012. Photo by Matt Goins
Herald-Leader

Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Patrick Towles (14) runs onto the field for warmups before the Kentucky Wildcats play the #14 Florida Gators in an NCAA Football Game on Saturday, September 20, 2012 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Fla. (David Manning for The Lexington Herald-Leader)
David Manning

Kentucky Wildcats's Patrick Towles (14) was sacked by Denico Autry in the second quarter of the Mississippi State at Kentucky football game at Commonwealth Stadium, in Lexington, Ky., on Oct. 6, 2012. Photo by Pablo Alcala | Staff
Lexington Herald-Leader

Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Patrick Towles (14) was on crutches after the half as Mississippi State defeated Kentucky 27-14 on Saturday October 6, 2012 in Lexington, Ky. Photo by Mark Cornelison | Staff
Herald-Leader

Kentucky Wildcats head coach Joker Phillips hugged Patrick Towles after his 32 yd touchdown pass in the second quarter as Kentucky played Mississippi State on Saturday October 6, 2012 in Lexington, Ky. Photo by Mark Cornelison | Staff
Herald-Leader

Kentucky quarterback Patrick Towles (14) threw under pressure from Vanderbilt defensive end Kyle Woestmann (92) in the third quarter of the Vanderbilt at Kentucky football game at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Ky., on Saturday Nov. 3, 2012. Photo by Pablo Alcala | Staff

UK quarterback Patrick Towles celebrated after throwing a touchdown pass during the Blue-White football game on Saturday April 13, 2013 in Lexington, Ky. Photos by Mark Cornelison | Staff
Herald-Leader

Quarterbacks Drew Barker, left, and Patrick Towles, right, both attached to resistance bands, dropped back to pass as the University of Kentucky football team practiced at the E.J. Nutter Training Facility on the UK campus in Lexington, Ky., Wednesday, April 23, 2014. Photo by Charles Bertram | Staff
Herald-Leader

Quarterback Patrick Towles as the University of Kentucky football team practiced at the E. J. Nutter Training Facility on the UK campus in Lexington, Ky., Monday, August 11, 2014. Photo by Charles Bertram | Staff
Herald-Leader

It would've been easier to wave a white flag than to keep putting on the blue jersey and never playing.

After he lost not one, but two different quarterback competitions at Kentucky, it would've been understandable if Patrick Towles decided he was done.

"It would've been so easy for him to say, 'Done. To heck with this. I redshirted last year. I fought and lost,'" former Cats quarterback Jared Lorenzen said. "I think human instinct would've been to quit."

But Towles didn't follow that instinct.

Instead, the Mr. Football from Highlands opted to dig in and do more.

Because of that and his improvements on the field, he was named UK's starting quarterback on Monday morning over Reese Phillips, Drew Barker and Maxwell Smith.

Mark Stoops announced the decision via Twitter before Kentucky conducted its final open practice of fall camp. A backup quarterback has not been named yet.

"I hope now that he has the keys that he can drive the bus and be the leader that we need him to be," Stoops said of Towles.

The head coach mentioned Towles' attempts to get better, working with a quarterback guru during the off-season to fix what coaches have described as a dip in his throw that slowed his release.

Towles worked on his footwork and decision making. He spent hours trying to make himself a viable option for the UK coaches this time around.

"I like the fact that he just went to work to get better," Stoops said on Monday. "I think that sends a good message to the rest of the team."

And it says something about Towles, the 6-foot-5, 238-pounder who led Highlands to three state championships and a 33-1 record as a starter.

"The easiest thing to do in our society today is, 'It's everybody else's fault,'" offensive coordinator Neal Brown said. "When you don't get what you want, when you don't get instant gratification, well who's fault is it? It can't be mine."

Towles took a little bit of time to look in the mirror, but eventually he did and realized he could do more.

"The minute you get complacent you lose," Towles said on Media Day. He was not made available on Monday following the announcement. "I got complacent and I lost (the QB job). I'm not going to get complacent again."

Towles got more serious about football, said Lorenzen, who has known the new UK starter since he was the third-string freshman quarterback at Highlands.

"He grew up," Lorenzen said. "He doesn't have mom and dad to lean back on now. And that was something he needed to do, and he's done it and it shows. He carries himself differently. He's not the same little Patrick that everybody knows now. He's a grown man."

But it wasn't just that he sought outside help to improve or spent countless hours in front of the quarterback chute.

"He won the job and I have a lot of confidence in him," Stoops said. "I really like the way he went about his work for the past year."

His teammates are happy to have the competition over with and to start building game plans with a quarterback in place.

Even while fighting for his starting job, Towles was a strong leader, defensive end Bud Dupree said.

"He's a good vocal guy at quarterback," the defensive leader said. "He lets the players know their mistakes, as well as just making plays when they need to be made. So I think it's a good decision."

Former UK great and television analyst Tim Couch said the Cats' offense is "perfect" for Towles, who had a couple of designed run plays in the open practice on Monday.

"He's sneaky fast, too," Stoops said of Towles, who rushed for 1,718 yards and 38 touchdowns at Highlands. "He's maybe not as fleet of foot as some other guys, but in the open field he's really got some pretty good speed. He's a big guy. He's strong. And he can make all the throws."

With less than two weeks to go before the season opener against Tennessee-Martin, it's important that Kentucky's offense has a direction and a leader, Couch said.

"You can start building game plans around that guy," Couch said. "The team can understand that this is going to be our guy going forward. Everyone can move on and put all of the questions behind them and get ready for the season."

Notes, updates

At the final open practice of fall camp, the talk was about Towles and quarterbacks, but it was hard to miss Kentucky star defensive end Bud Dupree on the sidelines without pads on Monday morning.

Both Stoops and the UK senior said it's "nothing serious" keeping him from practicing.

"Bud will be fine; Bud will be fine," Stoops said of the Cats' leading returning tackler. "He's got an issue, but he'll be fine."

Several other players were not in full pads on Monday, including defensive back Nate Willis, defensive tackle Regie Meant, linebacker Josh Forrest, running back Jojo Kemp and offensive lineman Josh Krok (boot on left foot).

Wide receiver Javess Blue was back in pads and participating in some drills, but he was not in for 11-on-11 sessions.

Several players were in red (no contact) jerseys on Monday, including wide receivers Ryan Timmons and Dorian Baker as well as Stanley Williams.

Offensive coordinator Neal Brown reiterated what he said after Saturday's scrimmage, that the offense still hasn't had its full complement of weapons this pre-season.

"The No. 1 thing we have to do on offense is get healthy," Brown said. "You all watched practice today, so we're not at full staff just yet. But we're getting closer."